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Re: finding a replacement

> Your dilemma is shared by many in our field. The questions you raise are
>really about finding a new employee without losing time, your shirt or
>hiring the wrong person. Solve your problem by advertising for a free
>lancer. If the person works out, go the next step to regular employee.

This assumes that there are a pool of people out there in the world who
want regular, full-time employment but are willing to work on contract
while you "check them out."

In my experience, while such a group may exist at some places at some
times, it is generally indicitive of under-employment. In general
people gravitate towards the kind of work they prefer (do I have a
firm grasp of the obvious, or what?) and when there are plenty-o-jobs
the people working contract will be (mostly) the ones that prefer to
work that way and the people who prefer permanent positions will be
seeking permanent positions.

>If the respondent is good, he or she will have loyalty to
>the project at hand; loyalty to you or your firm can come with time.

Loyalty is a two way bond that has been largely broken by the rampant
down-sizing and right-sizing in U.S. industry.

If you are looking for a long term employee, the best way to get one
is to provide a stable, sane working environment, a fair salary, and
decent benefits. You identify them by spending some time developing
a series of interview questions that point out the characteristics
you consider valuable. Employment is a two way street. People want
to work at a job where they are needed and valued.

At any rate, if you don't provide a stable, sane working environment
where people are valued for the contributions they make, you're never
going to get people to stick around long term no matter how you hire
them.